Murray said the perfect way to describe the stalemate was ‘frustration’ after seeing his side unable to play at the same standard as in previous weeks.

“It was a really frustrating game,” Murray said. “I never thought we were going to lose it, but at the same time I never thought we were going to win it.

“We just had a good discussion in the changing room there and I think frustration is the best way to put it.

“We didn’t show enough care with the ball, we didn’t show enough penetration with the ball and when we did penetrate, it was a bit long and hopeless and we’re a lot better than that.”

With the Stags still unbeaten at home, albeit without winning, Murray is pleased that his side are grinding out results, even when they aren’t at their best.

“The plus point for a team that’s not quite clicking at times is that we haven’t lost; we’re still just a point out [of] the play-offs.

“There’s a lot to work on and certain people have got a lot to do because we’re not where we could be and the frustrating thing about it all is that I know how good we could be.

“If they [the players] carry out instructions and listen to what we work on day-in, day-out then we’re going to have a successful season.”

Looking back on the opening goal, the gaffer was disappointed with how his defenders dealt with the physical presence of the Dons’ front line: “We took risks in the wrong areas and when you come up against centre-forwards like they’ve got, they’ve got four who are six-foot-plus and when they do ‘put it on you’ it’s difficult to deal with.

“That’s what you pay your boys at the back to do and they didn’t do that in the first six minutes and that’s what’s disappointing.”

Our boss was frustrated with the lack of attacking quality which the Stags showed in the final third during today’s game and says that’s an area which they need to improve on.

“Our work needs to continue, our building blocks need to continue and our game needs to be more penetrative in the middle and the final third to create more chances because at the moment, we aren’t creating anywhere near enough.”

One player who was the subject of praise from Murray in particular was goalscorer, Chris Clements: “I've said a couple of years ago that when he wants to be, he’ll be the best midfielder in the League.

“I thought for large periods he was the only one that looked like he could influence the game today and Chris has got this edge to his game now where he does the ugly side as well as being super on the ball.

“He deserved his man of the match award.”

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Mansfield Town Adam Murray tries to look on bright side after 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon
chad.co.uk, by John Lomas, Saturday 05 September 2015

Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray tried to look on the bright side after a third successive 1-1 home draw, this time held by AFC Wimbledon.

The Dons went ahead through Tom Elliott after just six minutes, but Chris Clements rescued a point with a splendid 15th minute free kick.

Although they had some good spells of possession, Mansfield failed to give lone striker Matt Green adequate support and rarely looked like scoring.

“It was a really frustrating game that I never thought we were going to lose but, at the same time, I never thought we were going to win it,” said Murray.

“We didn’t show enough care with the ball and we didn’t show enough penetration with the ball. When we did we went a bit long and we are better than that.

“The plus point was that for a team that’s not quite clicking at the moment is that we have not lost and other results have gone for us. But there is loads to work on.

“The frustrating thing is I know how good this group could be if they carried out instructions.

“But we are going to have a successful season, I won’t change my stance on that. To be bang-on average and not lose has got to be a plus point.

“I never thought we were going to lose the game. The only chance they were going to score was from one of our errors as I thought we took too many risks in the wrong areas.

“When you have got so many forwards over 6ft like they have, when they put the ball on you, it is difficult to deal with.

“We need to be better going forward with more attacking instinct and give more support to the front man. We didn’t look to have that balance about us today.”

He added: “I just said to them today that if some of our decision-making is like it is today, we won’t pass the ball, we’ll go back to banging it because then you take away risk. I can’t do that with these players - they are footballers.

“We want to play all over the park, but we have to understand we have one of the best strikers in the league but if don’t give him service he isn’t going to score goals.”

Mansfield Town midfielder Chris Clements believes his hard work practicing his set-pieces on the training ground finally paid off in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon.

The Stags’ number eight curled home a stunning free-kick with style and finesse to secure a point for the hosts after Tom Elliott opened the scoring for the Dons and Clements spoke after the game about his superb strike.

“Me and Malvind Benning practice every Friday and [in the] days before the game,” he said.

“I’ve not been doing that well in training but today I felt confident, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was in.”

Mansfield fell behind after just six minutes when WImbledon striker Tom Elliott thumped a low shot past Brian Jensen, but the lead lasted just nine minutes as Clements reduced the arrears with his fine free-kick.

Talking about the game itself, Clements was left a little puzzled as to why the Stags began the game a tad off-colour, as they conceded the first goal of the match for the third game running.

Clements stated: “We struggled in the start; I don’t know why as we usually start well apart from the previous two games where we haven’t began like we usually do.

“We can’t quite put our finger on it, but we need to improve as we know we can’t just give a team a goal lead and then chase the game from there.

“It was a weird performance from us today, we never really got going. Even when we got the goal we never really pushed on to what we are capable of. If we keep isolating Greeny (Matt Green) we’ll get nowhere, so we need to push [up] and give as much help as we can. We didn’t do that today [and] it showed by the one goal and not many chances.”

Reflecting on his own game, the 25-year old was moderately pleased with the way he played as he picked up the sponsor’s man of the match award, but stressed that the importance of the team’s display far outweighs individual performances if they want to improve results.

“I think I could have done better but the team as a whole weren’t at it today. I ran about a bit and kept the ball quite well, but that doesn’t count unless we put a team performance in. It doesn’t matter how good we are individually if we can’t get a result at the end of it.

“We want to win our home games and that’s what we have set out to do. I think the team we played today were nothing special and we could have easily got three points if we stuck to what we are good at, which we didn’t do today.”

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Chris Clements can be best midfielder in League Two says Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray
chad.co.uk, by John Lomas

Chris Clements can be the best midfield player in League Two said boss Adam Murray after yesterday’s 1-1 home draw with AFC Wimbledon in which Clements scored a fabulous free kick, almost won the game with another at the death, and was named man of the match.

“I said it a couple of years ago, when he wants to be he’ll be the best midfielder in this league,” said Murray.

“He was the only one who looked for large periods of the game today like he could do something.

“He has got an edge to his game now too where he can do the other side as well as being super on the ball and he deserved his man of the match award.”

Stags trailed to a sixth minute Tom Elliott goal before Clements curled home a classic free kick and the midfielder said:

“Me and Malvin Benning practice every Friday and the day before a game. I’ve not been doing that well in training, but today I felt confident and as soon as I hit it I knew it was in.

“We struggled a bit with the start - I don’t know why. Usually we have a good start, but the previous two games we’ve not started how we usually do. “Obviously we can’t put our finger on why that is but it’s something we’ve got to improve on as we can’t just give a team a goal lead and then chase the game from there.

“It was a weird performance from us today. We never really got going. But even when we did get the goal, we never really pushed on to what we are capable of and obviously if we keep isolating Greeny (lone striker Matt Green) we are going to get nowhere.

“We have to push up and give him as much help as we can and we didn’t do that today, which showed with only the one goal and not many chances.”

He added: “We must start better and if we score we’ve got the momentum with us. The start we had today put us on the back foot straight away.

“We need to keep possession more and not give the opposition the momentum.”

Was that his best display of the season?

He said: “It was up there though I think I could have done better, but I think the team as a whole, we weren’t at it today.

“First half I think I did okay, I ran about a bit, as I do.

“On the whole I think I wasn’t bad but that doesn’t count unless we put a team performance in, individuals doing well, if we are not going to get a result at the end of it.”

He said he couldn’t feel any satisfaction at a point gained at home from the Dons clash.

“We want to win our home games, that’s what we set out to do and I think the team we played today were nothing special,” he said

“I think we could have easily got three points if we’d stuck to what we are good at, which we didn’t do today.”

Deep into stoppage time Clements had the chance to be the hero with another free kick from just outside the box, but it passed narrowly wide.

“I had a free kick and tried to kid the keeper a little,” he said. “I think I did because he moved behind the wall just as I was about to take it. If I hit the target it’s in, but it was bad technique from me.

“I was always going that side as I believed the keeper would gamble after that first free kick, which he did, but obviously I need to hit the target and I need to get back to the training ground.”

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